My kids are seriously testing the bedtime routine out of late. We had them in a great routine, then daylight savings started making it harder to get them into bed while still light and now the school holidays. I have tried keeping them to a decent routine but they just won't settle at night. It hasn't been uncommon for them to still be awake at 10pm at night... Not too bad if it is only one child, but four! That is seriously testing the waters...
As I write this, only Drew is in his own bed. Josh got set to time out (after pushing the fly wire out of his window and going outside) and is sleeping in the hallway (where time out is). We warned the kids if they got out of bed once again their doors would be locked. They all got our of bed, so we locked the doors, and Josh climbs out the window (isn't he a little too young for that?) As punishment, both of the boys had their pocket money taken away as I said I had to buy a new window (unsure if the fly wire needs replacing yet). Josh decided not to move back to his bed once his time out was up as I took his money away.
Bella kept on climbing into Nikki's bed (the top bunk of L shaped bunk beds) so I moved Nikki onto the couch in the rumpus room and said to Bella, "If you like Nikki's bed so much, sleep there!" She still mucked around a little but finally went to sleep.
Does anyone have any advice how to fix their settling down routine? We do dinner, bath and story time before bed usually. I desperately need them to settle early ASAP as school and kinder begin Monday/Tuesday and they are so tired. Not to mention Nat is away at the Gold Coast in two weeks for a week so I will be all alone with them!!! Ahhh HELP ME!!!
Oh Ros, bedtimes can really spoil the end of the day for us Mums can't it!!
Just wondering if your kids are sleeping in each morning?
My son can really push the bedtime routine when he has slept in as he just isn't tired at "normal" bedtime.
Luckily we went back to school this week which has got our bedtime back to a stress free time.
Otherwise I don't have any ideas, when my son isn't tired no amount of punishment or threat will get him to just lay in bed until he falls asleep :(
Posted by: Jaki | January 31, 2010 at 09:28 AM